How To Spot A Scammer On Websites like Upwork
The Virtual Tribe, the virtual assistant group I happen to be a part of, did a group meeting today. We discussed all things virtual assistant related, particularly the freelancing aspect of things.
That prompted me to ask the one question that many virtual assistants out there always ask, “If you are new to a platform like Upwork, how do you figure out which clients are legit and which ones are scammers?”
What prompted that question you might ask?
Okay, a little history lesson today. Sometime last year, I applied for two internships on Internshala. In case you are not aware, Internshala is an Indian company that focuses on providing internships to students with a variety of Indian companies.
Using their platform, I applied to about 2–3 of these companies. You guessed it, no response. The one company that responded gave me a test which was to write an article about something I know nothing about. I did a little research and wrote a little an article and got rejected for it.
Months after, I applied to a variety of clients on Upwork and got no response. There was this lady that was looking for a ghostwriter to write a book about bipolar. I applied for the job. We were negotiating the price and this woman ghosted me after I agreed to write according to the set price. A month later, I discover that the gig was closed and that woman had given the job to someone else. Talk about annoying.
So how do you spot scammers and legit companies?
1 Look for the verified payment description in their profile
When you are looking for potential gigs, do not just settle for any gig, check to make sure that their payments are verified. That alone should tell you who is a scammer. There are some companies or clients that are new and mean no harm but tread with caution.
2 Watch out for the tests
As mentioned above, some of these companies, particularly Indian companies tend to give out tests. Be careful with these as some of these so-called companies use that as an opportunity to steal ideas and content off unexpecting innocent freelancers.
3 Be wary if they ask you to Skype them immediately
Upwork has a strict policy about client/freelancer communication so if anyone of them asks for your WhatsApp number or asks you to Skype them immediately, be careful as they could be using that as an opportunity to scam you. Upwork has a feature built within the website and app that enables clients and freelancers to effectively communicate.
4 They do not have a website or social media presence
This bit alone is a major red flag to me. Once they give you their company name, do your research into that company before you agree to work with them. That alone saves you a lot of time and energy. There are some companies, usually, startups, that do not have that much cash for that. So in that case, you can help them out. But those so-called bigwigs pretending to be all are the ones you should be careful with.
5 They are not active for months or they simply ghost you
Case in point, my unfortunate story above. If they ignore you for months or they simply ghost you, move on to the next one. That proves that the person does not care about you and sees you as small fry.
6 They keep posting the same thing every month
This is again yet another red flag. I came across this person on Upwork who kept on posting the same old job offer for new content writers and he did not only post it once but 6 good times within the same month. Such a person comes across as desperate and that is a total no-no. Steer clear from such persons or organizations as it means that they have a toxic work culture.
7 They ask you for money
You are offering them the service so it is they that are meant to pay you, not the other way around. If you notice them asking you for cash, run for it.
Conclusion:
To all, new virtual assistants and freelancers in general, take warning and duck when you come across clients that fall under this category. You are maybe offering them a service but remember, you are human too. You deserve just as much respect as any other person.
You are a boss as much as they are. If they do not respect that, just walk away. There are loads of great clients out there that await you.
